Rounding Third Softball

With their victory tonight in Baton Rouge, Arkansas has now clinched at least a share of their first SEC Championship in program history. The Razorbacks won two of three against LSU this weekend including the 4-1 victory in game three tonight. The Florida Gators can share the regular season championship and match the Hogs 19-5 conference record if they can manage a sweep of Texas A&M in Gainesville this weekend.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) has announced the Top 30 for the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year. The award honors outstanding athletic achievement among softball student-athletes throughout NCAA Division II. The Top 10 finalists, consisting of players and pitchers, will be announced on May 18 with the 2021 Schutt Sports/NFCA Division II National Player and Pitcher of the Year revealed on June 3.

The Top 30 finalist list includes:

Tatum Brummitt, Sr., University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Bailey Byers, Sr., Malone University

Hannah Rose Corbin, So., Columbus State University

Kendall Cornick, Sr., Augustana University

Kali Crandall, So., Oklahoma Christian University

Tatum Dow, Jr., Western Washington University

Payton Foster, So., University of Texas at Tyler

Sydni Hawkins, Jr., Missouri Western State University

Alyssa Herrera, Fr., Georgian Court University

Teala Howard, Jr., University of West Florida

Anna Kasner, Sr., Western Washington University

Hannah Marsteller, So., Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Shanna McBroom, Grad., West Texas A&M University

Andrea Morales, Sr., Rogers State University

MaKray Odom, Grad., Trevecca Nazarene University

Nicole Pennington, Jr., Valdosta State University

Ashley Perez, Jr., University of Texas at Tyler

Morgan Perry, Sr., Saint Anselm College

Nicole Purtell, Jr., Shepherd University

Samantha Richards, So., Valdosta State University

Mahina Sauer, Sr., Southern Nazarene University

Ali Shenefield, Fr., Rollins College

Margaret Simmons, Jr., University of North Georgia

Ellie Smith, So., Colorado Mesa University

Kenzee Smith, Fr., University of Indianapolis

Kylee Smith, Sr., University of North Georgia

Izzy Starr, So., Humboldt State University

Mackenzie Ward, Jr., Minnesota State University, Mankato

Faith Willenbrock, Sr., Millersville University of Pennsylvania

Ashley Worrell, So., Rollins College

The U.S. Women’s National Team starts its fifth training camp of 2021 today at the Olympic Training Facility in Chula Vista, California. Team USA will take part in training sessions and three 10-inning collegiate exhibitions against San Diego (May 6), Loyola Marymount (May 10), and Cal State Northridge (May 16) in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The softball competition of the Tokyo Games opens on July 21.

North Georgia clinched the Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship on Sunday with a doubleheader sweep of Columbus State. The championship was the seventh consecutive for the No. 4 nationally ranked Nighthawks. They have won a total of 10 conference regular season titles, the most in conference history.

Webber International laid claim to The Sun Conference Regular Season Championship on Saturday in a double header split with Thomas University. The Warriors won game one against the Nighthawks 2-0, and dropped the second 3-2. WIU tied Coastal Georgia in the final conference standings with both squads having a 15-9 record. However, the Warriors won the title outright by sweeping CCG in a double header earlier in the season.

Virginia Wesleyan Pitcher Hanna Hull broke the Division III Career Wins record on Saturday scoring victory number 125 in a doubleheader ODAC sweep of Shenandoah. The previous record of 124 victories was held by the Coast Guard Academy’s Hayley Feindel set back in 2012. Hull has lead VWU to two national titles and is 16-3 in the circle for the Marlins in the 2021 season.

Days after announcing he would be leaving the University of St. Thomas program to return to his alma mater St. Mary’s University at the conclusion of the 2021 season, Hall of Fame Coach John Tschida picked up his 1,000 career coaching victory in his 27th year as a head coach. UST defeated College of Saint Benedict 4-3 in game one of a doubleheader to reach the milestone for Tschida.

Fontbonne clinched the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship on Friday with a game two victory against Iowa Wesleyan 2-0 in a doubleheader between the squads. The Griffins last SLIAC Championship came in 2016.

South Florida Coach Ken Eriksen picked up his 1,000 career coaching victory today in a 5-0 AAC win against East Carolina. Eriksen has coached the Bulls for 24 seasons compiling a 1,000-514-1 record.

The NCAA Division I Softball Committee has announced the 20 predetermined preliminary round sites for this year’s Division I Softball Championship. Of the 20 initially selected sites, the committee will choose 16 to host regional round games. Eight of those 16 regional sites will be considered to host super regional rounds. Due to “health and safety concerns” NCAA had earlier deemed it necessary to hold the championship competitions at predetermined sites.

The preliminary potential host sites include:

Alabama

Michigan

Arizona

Missouri

Arizona State

Oklahoma

Arkansas

Oklahoma State

Clemson

Oregon

Florida

Tennessee

Florida State

Texas

Georgia

UCLA

Kentucky

Virginia Tech

LSU

Washington